East West Pottery Niagara-on-the-Lake

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Niagara Guide Home: Niagara Arts: Potters: East West Pottery

East West Pottery

1242 Line 3, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Phone: 905-468-1883

Niagara-on-the-Lake is the only Raku studio in the Niagara region. Award-winning potter, Susan Wintrop's work has been shown in several solo exhibitions at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and has been called, "Radical in the revolutionary sense", by the Canadian Clay and Glass Association. Classes and workshops are available.

Susan says about her work, "The life and work of Shoji Hamada was my major inspiration although my work resembles his in no way whatsoever. It was a spirit in his work that I hoped to be able to infuse in my pottery one day. A few mavericks have indeed had this ineffable quality."

Susan continues . . .

"My work and glazes all have a common thread that has changed over the years yet is still from the same tree. It's been a remarkable experience watching these vessels come along. Some of my best glazes were sheer accidents that I isolated and analyzed until they were repeatable. Over time pottery . . . became my love and occupation.."

Raku first and foremost is the surname of the family who discovered this firing technique in Japan in the 14th century. The line of succession remains unbroken punctuated over the centuries by tradition and subtle invention. All other pottery made in this manner is called, "Raku-like."

In the original technique the glazed pottery is taken hot from the kiln and set outside to cool and oxidize. Glazes are subtle whites, blacks and crackles. The nature of Raku captures both beauty and imperfection and is highly prized as wares for the Japanese Tea Ceremony (the Cha No Yu). This ritual more than anything else has elevated Raku to the realm of the spiritual.

For more information on this beautiful work, please visit . . .